OREANDA-NEWS. On December 12, 2008 Rosneft’s Achinsk Refinery completed a sulphur prilling facility worth a total of RUB 750 mln., reported the press-centre of Rosneft.

The new sulphur prilling facility, with an annual hydrogen sulfide capacity of 7,000 t, allows for up to 98% sulphur recovery. The facility will enable Achinsk Refinery to eliminate bottlenecks in desulphurization, increase output of quality motor fuels, and will also facilitate further refinery upgrades.

“Hydrogen sulfide utilization is increasingly important for us as Russia has shifted to higher quality and more environmentally friendly fuels. The refinery seeks to efficiently utilize sulphur compounds recovered in the production of Euro-3,4 gasoline and diesel fuel. The new facility allows us to further enhance environmental properties of fuels and launch production of new petroleum products that could be potentially supplied to industrial consumers of Siberia,” the refinery’s General Director Igor Pavlov commented.

The refinery’s prilling and packing lines benefit from the use of modern packing materials and ensure safe and unimpeded long-distance transportation of finished products.

Prilled sulphur is extensively used in the production of sulphuric acid, fertilizers, carbon disulphide, and dyes, as well in the pulp and paper, textile, agricultural and other industries.

The sulphur prilling facility is based on technology developed by the Moscow R&D institute of Giprogazoochistka and has fully automated process control systems. Technology and equipment suppliers were selected through competitive bidding.

The facility’s launch ceremony was attended by several regional government officials and a group of Rosneft and Achinsk Refinery executives. According to Deputy Head of Rosneft Oil Refining Dmitry Mamonkin, successful completion of the sulphur prilling facility is another strong indication of the Company’s continuing focus on comprehensive infrastructure upgrades across segments.